1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to locks for securing cabinet doors to vending machine cabinets, and more specifically to a draw lock actuatable only upon the retraction of a solenoid operated dead bolt associated therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known to use draw locks and the like to secure cabinet doors to vending machine cabinets to protect the cabinet's contents, both merchandise and currency, from pilferage. Such locks generally require the use of a key which permits a recessed handle to pop out from the machine. The handle may then be grasped and rotated to release the cabinet door and gain access to the cabinet's interior.
While such locks have proven difficult to pick and relatively resistant to forcible entry, there have recently been an increasing number of vending machine thefts where it appears that a master or duplicate key was used to open the draw lock and gain access to the cabinet's contents. Thefts involving such techniques are extremely difficult to detect and have resulted in a large loss of merchandise and revenue for the machine's owner.
While various solutions have been suggested for this problem, such as periodically changing the lock combination, such solutions have not proven effective and have placed unnecessary burdens on the vending machine owners to police the integrity of their machines.